The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-06-08
BASEBALL.
Father Tries His Hand at the
Modern Game.


The umpire was blessed with fluffy |
blonde hair that streamed in golden
shower from under a knowing little
CAD of blue and white flannel. The
umpire's costume was of white flannel
trimmed with blue, cut without any
bias, as an umpire's costume should
be, and altogether about as neat
thing as ever was seen on the ball
field. The umpire's eyes were as blue
as the sunny skies of Italy, and there
was a pair of peachy pink cheeks I'M
der the eyes and delicate little nose,
piouantly celestial in its inclination;
strawberry lips, and teeth whittier than
the cover of a brand new ball. And
there wasn't man in the game who
would have disputed the umpire's de-
cision for any honor known to the glorl-
GUS National pastime. There wasn't
one of them who wasn't glad to get
out lust to hear the delicious ripple OF
that musical voice as it said:
Striker out"
And why was all this? Sir Walter
Scott remarks in "Kenilworth:' Cali
for a little pink and white-and so falls
ambition" The umpire's name was
Eulalie, and what Eulalie did not know
about the League rules was what had
not been written. The boys-they
were college boys and called themselves
men, striving by frequent use OF the
razor to make good their claim to the
lordly title-the boys all swore by her.
And even when just few of them went
out for a practice game of zone, two,
three" they would have their fair UNI
pire out to see the thing done properly.
Once Harry had sent in a hot out-curve
and hit the umpire, and the young
pitcher came pretty near being mobbed
right then and there. But the umpire
calmly stopped, picked up the ball, and
threw it back to the pitcher, saying:
lone ball"
And then the boys all cheered the
umpire and vowed that she was as
pluoky as she was beautiful, and they
would all have fallen down and wor-
shipped her Immediately had they not
known that she could be as severely
satirical to worshipers as she was
plucky. Pretty soon father came out
in his comfortable white hannels, and,
living down in the shade watched the
game. Father was fine specimen OF
manhood, and though he was in
his fiftieth year he could play fine
game of tennis, kill twenty-eight
out of thirty birds at the trap
every day, and chase the wild anise-
seed bag over the stiffest country
known to the Dusenbury County Hunt
II say, you boys" called father,
s'what kind of game is this you're
playingp"
Base ball, of course, replied john
ny, with an indescribable sneer at his
sire's ignorance.
Johnny was only fourteen and he
knew it all. He was sure he could pitch
better than Harry, who was twenty
and on the Varsity nine, and catch
all around George, who was nineteen.
Freshman, and one of the best all
around players in college.
"Base ball, ehp" said father, "Well,
you don't play it as we used to
twenty-five years ago"
well, should hope not" was the
reply.
"Say, Pop" called frankie, who
was standing like patience on a monu-
ment on first base, "why don't you
pull off your coat and take hack at
ftp"
"You irreverent young beggar," re-
sponded Pop" half laughing, "Tll
come over there and take a hack at
you"
mo. no. was the general chorus;
''come and play"
Come, father" said the umpire,
''now's the time to show these boys
what man knows about base ball. :"
The covert taunt of the beautiful
wretch was too much for father. He
arose and pulled off his coat, display
ing a superb torso that his loose fan
mel shirt could not hide, and strobe
into the field.
Here, Pop" cried Albert, ''take
my place at short, and then you'll soor
get up to pitcher
Father accepted the generous offel
and braced himself to gather in tn,
hayward grounder. Peter was at thu
bat and he gazed upon father with al
evil eye. Harry sent in ''corker'
and Peter got one strike.
What makes you pitch so hard
Harry" said father; "he can't hi
it."
Don't want him to-" said Harry
''what do you suppose I'm pitching
for but to get him out?"
"Oh, he must hit it." said father
impatiently; that's no way to play
Why, / remember when the Skowhe
gans beat the Jeremiahs 81 to AZ. Tha
was game for you-none of your ! t.
0 business in those days"
"See here, father" asked Johnny,
''when the men chased one another
around the bases that way how could
you tell the difference between game
Of ball and a sig days go-as-yoq
pleasea'